Regional 4-Day Final postponed

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua
– Long-standing rivals Jamaica and Barbados will have to wait a little longer
to meet in the Final of the Regional 4-Day Tournament.

Jamaica
will now face Barbados in the Final from Friday, April 13 to Monday, April 16
at Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica.

The
Final, originally scheduled to start this coming Saturday, was postponed after
the Jamaica Cricket Association informed the West Indies Cricket Board that
Sabina Park was unavailable due to a previously booked engagement.

Jamaica
earned the right to host the Final, after finishing with the best record in the
preliminary competition, winning all of their matches.

The
Jamaicans qualified for the Final, following a 133-run victory over Guyana in
the semi-finals last weekend at Sabina Park.

The
Barbadians reached the Final, after they crushed arch-rivals Trinidad &
Tobago by 227 runs in the other semi-final contested at the same time at
Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain, Trinidad.

Jamaica
are seeking to become the first regional territory to solely win five straight
titles in the history of the modern Regional 4-Day Tournament, which dates back
to 1966.

It
would be Jamaica’s 11th Regional 4-Day title overall, second only to Barbados,
the most successful side in the Regional 4-Day Tournament with an unmatched 20
titles.

So
it is fitting that they face Barbados, who also hold the record of four
straight between 1977 and 1980, although this can be stretched to five, when
considering they shared the title with T&T in 1976.

The
two sides are playing for the Headley/Weekes Trophy, which is named after two
icons of the game in their nations.

The
late George Headley was the first true West Indies batting hero, starring with
the willow between the 1930s and 1940s, when he was dubbed “Atlas” because it
was felt he carried the fortunes of the West Indies batting on his back.

Now
aged 87, the evergreen Sir Everton Weekes is the only surviving member of the
famous West Indies batting triumvirate of the 1950s that also included compatriots
Sir Clyde Walcott and Sir Frank Worrell, affectionately known as the Three Ws.